Pud Galvin vs Kid Nichols: Career Stats Comparison
Pud Galvin (1875–1892) and Kid Nichols (1890–1906) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pud Galvin compiled 365 wins and 1,807 strikeouts; Kid Nichols put up 362 wins and 1,881 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Pud Galvin
Kid Nichols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Pud Galvin | Kid Nichols |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 365 | 362 |
| Losses | 310 | 208 |
| Games | 705 | 621 |
| Games Started | 688 | 562 |
| Complete Games | 646 | 532 |
| Shutouts | 57 | 48 |
| Saves | 2 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,807 | 1,881 |
| Walks | 745 | 1,272 |
| Hits Allowed | 6,405 | 4,929 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 121 | 156 |
| Innings Pitched | 6,003 | 5,067 |
| ERA | 2.85 | 2.96 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 2.71 | 3.34 |
| BB/9 | 1.12 | 2.26 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kid Nichols outpaces Pud Galvin 64,461 to 27,907 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,029 vs 1,642 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Pud Galvin — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kid Nichols — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pud Galvin leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Kid Nichols owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pud Galvin. Note that PIV actually grades Kid Nichols ahead, which means Pud Galvin's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.